Difference Between Bear & Bare

Bear vs Bare

The difference between Bear and Bare is quite distinct, but they are two words that are often confused, probably due to the similarity in their pronunciation. There is a difference between them in terms of their meanings, connotations, and usage. Bear is used in the sense of ‘withstand’, while Bare is used in the sense of ‘expose’. Bear is used as a verb, and its past participle form is ‘borne’, making it an irregular verb. On the other hand, Bare is also used as a verb, but in some cases, it is used as an adjective too, as in the expression ‘bare truths’. The past participle form of the verb Bare is ‘bared’, and it is used as a regular verb.

Key Takeaways

• Bear is used in the sense of ‘withstand’, while Bare is used in the sense of ‘expose’.
• Bear is an irregular verb with its past participle form as ‘borne’, while Bare is a regular verb with its past participle form as ‘bared’.
• Both Bear and Bare are used as verbs, but sometimes Bare is also used as an adjective.

What does Bear mean?

The word bear is used in the sense of withstand. For example, in the sentences “Francis bears the insults with a smile” and “Angela bears all the injustice done to her”, the verb bear is used in the sense of ‘withstand’ or ‘tolerate’. The verb bear has its abstract noun form in the word ‘bearing’.

Bear also has another meaning when not used as a verb – it refers to a wild animal that lives in deep woods, as in the sentences “Robert was attacked by a bear in the forest” and “Bears are wild animals”.

What does Bare mean?

The word bare is used in the sense of expose, as in the sentences “Robert bared the truth in front of all” and “She bared her body in front of the camera”. In these sentences, the verb bare is used in the sense of ‘expose’.

Bare is also used in the formation of some other adverbial forms, such as ‘threadbare’, as in the sentence “They discussed the issue thread-bare”, where ‘threadbare’ is used in the sense of ‘in every detail’.

What is the difference between Bear and Bare?

• Bear is used in the sense of ‘withstand’, while Bare is used in the sense of ‘expose’.
• Both Bear and Bare are used as verbs, but sometimes Bare is used as an adjective.
• The past participle form of the verb Bear is ‘borne’, making it an irregular verb, while the past participle form of the verb Bare is ‘bared’, making it a regular verb.
• The abstract noun form of Bear is bearing, while Bare does not have an abstract noun form.
• Bear is also used as a noun to refer to a wild animal, while Bare does not have a noun form.